Mtjd-gun cabbiage



J. C. HOPKINS ET AL MUD GUN CARRIAGE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm w? MN JOHN C. HOPE/NS HZFEEQ GSOL/N.

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MUD GUN CARRIAGE Filed Feb. 27. 1928 a Sheet-Sheet 2 1929- J. c. HOPKINS ET AL 1,726,069

MUD GUN CARRIAGE Filed Feb. 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 w: I jnveni'ors:

JOHN C HOPK/M? and HAP/6E0 05'0L/N,

7 flak/7170 04 Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. HOPKINS, F LAKEWOOD, AND ALFRED OSOLIN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

HUD-GUN CARRIAGE Application filed February 27, 1928. Serial No. 257,305.

This invention relates to mud gun carriages such as used to support a mud gun in position on a blast-furnace and has for its object the provision of a novel form of power operated carriage which will automatically position the mud gun when the carriage is moved toward or away from the blast-furnace.

Another object is to provide a mud gun carriage which may be moved away from the iron tapping hole and away from the iron runner out of the way of the furnace operators.

A further object is to provide a novel form of carriage which is adapted to support any of the well known and existing type of mud uns. g A still further object is to provide a mud gun carriage havin the novel design, construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view, part1 showing a mud gun carriage em invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation thereof.

Referring more articularly to the drawings, the letter A esignates a blast-furnace wall and 2 desi nates one of the usual furnace columns. The furnace is provided with the usual iron tapping hole 2" and iron runher-through 2". A pair of hinge-brackets 3 and 4 are secured in vertical spaced relation on the column 2 by U-bolts 6. The hingebrackets 3 and 4 are each provided with spaced apertured hinge-lugs I. A hingeshaft 8 is fixed in the apertured lugs 7 against rotary and vertical movement.

A carria e platform is hingedlyl supported on the sha t 8 and comprises a c annel subframe 9 which is covered by a bottom late 12 and is provided with vertical sp ashplates 13 and 14 arranged along the furnace and iron runner sides thereof respectively.

The carriage sub-frame 9 15 provided with a hinge-bracket lug 15 which is journaled on the hinge-shaft 8 between hinge-lugs 7 on the lower hinge-bracket 3. A brace-rods 16 and 17 are joined at their upper in section, odying this ir of supporting ends and are journaled on the hinge-shaft 8 between the hinge-lugs 7 on the upper hingebracket 4. The brace-rod 16 has its outer end secured to a bracket 18 carried by the rear side of the sub-frame 9 adjacent its outer end, and the brace-rod 17 has its outer end secured to the outer end of the splash-plate 13.

A mud gun B, of any standard design and having trunnions 20, is mounted on the carriage platform so as to have a swinging and pivotal movement relative thereto. A shaft 21 is rigidly mounted in the sub-frame 9 and projects outwardly beyond the iron runner side of the carriage. A pair of bracket-arms 22 are secured in spaced relation on the proecting end of the shaft 21 and extend upwardly and forwardly1 on an angle toward the furnace. A air of anger-bars 23 are provided, one 0 which is pivotall connectd to the upper end of each of said racketarms, and depend therefrom.

The lower ends of the hanger-rods, or bars 23, are provided with hearings in which the trunnions 20, of the mud gun B, are journaled. The trunnions 20, of the mud gun, are ositioned in the centerof the length of mu gun so that the gun will be balanced on the trunnions.

A motor 25 is mounted on a motor-bracket 26 secured on the carriage and has its armature shaft 27 coupled to a shaft 28 of a gear reducer 29 which has a shaft 30 provided with a bevel pinion 31. The bevel pinion 31 is meshed with-a segmental bevel rack-member 32, which is fixedly mounted on the fixed hingeshaft 8.

When power is supplied to the motor 25, the shaft 30 and pinion 31 will be rotated, and since the rack 32 is fixed, the pinion 31 will be compelled to travel around the rack and will, therefore, pull or swing the platform around the hinge-shaft 8.

A vertical bracket 34 is secured to the rear corner of the carriage platform nearest the mud gun and carries a vertically disposed sheave 35 at its upper end. A second horizontal sheave 36 is ournaled on a bracket 37 secured to the upiper forward corner of the s lash-plate 14. cam-arm 38 is secured to the shaft 8 at a point above the rack-member '32. An elevator cable 39 is secured to the gun B adjacent its rear end and is trained around the sheaves and 36 and over the cam-arm 38 and has its other end secured to the cam-arm. When thecarriage is swung toward the furnace, the cable 39 will be moved against the cam-arm 38 and will thereby be forced to lift or elevate the rear end of the mud gun so as to rock the gun about the trunnions 20 and lower the forward or nose end of the gun down to the level of the tapping hole. When the carriage is swung away from the furnace, the cable 39 will be moved away from the cam-arm 38 so as to slack the tension on the cable and the gun B will automatically be brought to a horizontal position since it is substantially balanced on its trunnions 20.

Ashaft 40 is journaled in bearings 41 secured to the splash-plate 13 and has its one end projected over the mud gun B. A pair of gun swinging dogs, or arms, 42 are secured to the shaft 40 and are adapted to engage lugs 43 on the gun.

We claim 1. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a clay gun, a swingin carriage having) a platform on which sai clay gun is move ly mounted, a support on which said carriage is mounted to swing the clay gun into and out of alinement with the furnace tapping hole, means on said platform for actuating the carriage, means on said platform for moving the clay gun lengthwise relative to the carriage into tapping hole stopping position and means for locking the carriage against swinging movement and to hold the clay gun in alined position while operating to close the furnace tapping hole.

2. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a clay gun, a sv'inging carriage havin a platform on which said clay gun is'mova ly mounted, a support on which said carriage is mounted to swing the clay gun into and out of alinement with the furnace tapping hole, means on said platform for A motor 45 is mounted on the carriage platactuating the carriage, means on said platform and has its armature shaft 46 coupled to a shaft 47 of a worm and worm-wheel speed reducing gearing '48 which has a shaft 49 provided with a pinion 50 which is meshed with a segmental curved rack 51 secured on the shaft i0.

In operation, after the carriage has been swung forwardly so as to position the mud gun in line with the iron tapping hole 2, the motor 45 will be operated to rotate the shaft 40 and cause the dogs 42 to move or swing the mud gun B forwardly into the iron tapping hole. After the gun is thus positioned in the iron tapping hole, the motor 45 will be stopped and the gun will be held or locked in such position, due to the worm and wormwheel drive of the shaft 40. When it is desired to swing the carriage away from the furnace to move the carriage and gun bodily away from the furnace, the motor 45 will be operated in the reverse direction so as to move the dogs 42 away from the gun B and permit said gun to move out of the iron tapping hole 2". After the gun B has moved out of the iron tapping hole, the motor 25 will be operated to swing the carriage away from the furnace through the medium of the pinion 31 and rack 32.

As the carriage moves away from the furnace, the tension on the cable 39 will be slackened, as reviously explained, and the gun B will see its horizontal balance so as to automatically raise its nose above the iron runnor 2" and permit the carria e to be swung entirely away from the tapping hole and iron runner.

While wehave shown and described certain specific embodiments of our invention it will be understood that we do not wish to be limited thereto since various modifications may be made without de arting from the scope thereof as defined in t e appended claims.

form for moving the clay'gun lengthwise relative to the carriage into tapping hole stopping position said clay gun moving means being adapted to lock the clay gun against movement on said carriage, and means for locking the carriage against swinging movement and to hold the clay gun in alined position while operating to close the furnace tapping hole.

3. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a clay gun, a horizontally swinging platform forming a carriage on which said clay gun is movably mounted, a vertical support on which said platform is mounted to swing the clay gun into and out of alinement with the furnace tapping hole, means on said platform for actuating the carriage, means on said latform for moving the clay gun lengthwise into tanning hole stopping position and means for locking the carriage against swinging movement and thereby hold the clay gun in alined position while operating the clay gun to close the furnace tapping hole.

4. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a clay gun, a swinging platform forming a carriage on which said clay gun is movably mounted, a support on which said platform is mounted to swing the clay gun into and out of alinement with the furnace tapping hole, means on said platform for actuating the carriage and means on said platform for moving the clay gun lengthwise into tapping hole stopping position, said clay gun moving means me u ing self-locking mechanism for holding the gun against movement relative to said carriage when said moving means is stationary.

5. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a clay gun, a horizontally swinging platform forming a carriage on which said clay gun is movably mounted, a

v about separate horizontal axis, means on saidv vertical support on which said platform is mounted to swin the clay gun into and out of alinement wit the furnace tapping hole, means on said platform for actuating the carriage and means on said platform for moving the clay gun lengthwise into tapping hole stopping position, said clay gun moving means having self-locking mechanism for holding the clay gun in alined position on the carriage, and coacting means on the carriage and furnace for preventing lengthwise movement of the clay gun in the tapping hole closing operations.

6. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprisin a vertical support, a mud gun carriage pl atform hingedly connected to said support for horizontal swinging movement, a mud gun mounted on said carriage and having pivotal and swinging movements about separate horizontal axes, means on said carriage for swinging said mud gun toward the furnace relative tosaid carriage, said means being adapted to lock said gun in any position to which it is moved, and means for moving said carriage bodily about its hinged connections. g

7. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a vertical support, a mud gun carriage platform hingedly connected to said support for horizontal swin ing move ment, a mud gun mounted on said carriage and having pivotal and swinging movements carriage for swingingsaid mud gun toward the furnace relative to said carriage, said means including a worm and worm-wheel and being adapted to lock said gun in any position to which it is moved, means for swinging said carriage and gun bodily toward and away from the furnace, and means for moving the forward end of said un downwardly when said carriage is moved toward the furnace.

8. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a vertical support, a mud gun carriage latform hingedly connected to said support or horizontal swinging a movement, a mud gun mounted on said carriage and having pivotal and swinging movements about separate horizontal axes, motor oper ated means on said carriage for swinging said mud gun toward the furnace relative to said carriage, said means including a worm and worm-wheel and being adapted to lock said gun in any position to which it is moved, means for swinging said carriage and gun bodily toward and away from the furnace, and means for automatically moving the forward end of said gun downwardly when said carriage is moved toward the furnace.

9. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a vertical support, a mud gun carriage platform hingedly connected to said support for horizontal swinging movement, a pair of mud gun hangers mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a mud gun pivotally mounted on said hangers for movement about a second horizontal axis, and motor operated means on said carriage for swinging said gun toward the furnace. I

10. Apparatus for closing furnace tappin holes comprising a vertical support, a mud gun carriage platform hingedly connected to said support for horizontal swinging movement, a pair of mud gun hangers mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a mud gun pivotally mounted on said hangers for movement about a second horizontal axis, motor operated means on said carriage for swinging said gun toward the furnace, and other motor operated means for bodily swinging said carriage and gun toward and away from the furnace.

11. Apparatus for closin furnace tappin holes comprising a vertica support, a mud gun carriage platform hingedly connected to said support for horizontal swinging movement, a pair of mud gun hangers mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a mud gun pivotally mounted on said hangers for movement about a second horizontal axis, inotor operated means on said carriage for swinging said on toward the furnace, other motor operated means for bodily swinging said carriage and gun toward and away from the furnace, said means including a rack secured on said vertical support, and a motor operated pinion fixed to said carriage and adapted to travel around said rack.

12. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprisinga vertical support, a mud I gun carriage platform hingedly connected to said support for horizontal swinging movement, a pair of mud gun hangers mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a mud gun pivotally mounted on said hangers for movement about a second horizontal axis, motor operated means on said carriage for swinging said gun toward the furnace, said means including a worm and worm-wheel and being adapted to lock said gun in any position to which it is moved, other motor operated means for bodily swinging said carriage and gun toward and away from the furnace, and means including a cam arm and cable connected to said cam arm and to the rear end of said mud gun for tilting said mud gun downwardly when said carriage is swung toward said furnace.

13. Apparatus for closing furnace tapping holes comprising a vertical support, a carriage mounted on said 'su port for horizontal riage .for moving said cla g'un toward and ment away from the furnace when said gun away from the furnace, sai last named means is being operated.

including a worm and worm-wheelwhich is In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set 10 adapted to lock said gun against movement our hands.

i relative to said carriage when said last named power means is inoperative, and detachable JOHN C. HOPKINS. means for locking said carriage against move- ALFRED OSOLIN. 

